An Austrian Bride was left red-faced recently when per joke answer was taken seriously by the registrar performing the ceremony, who then promptly called off the wedding!

When asked 'Do you take this man as your lawful wedded husband?', 27-year-old receptionist Tina Albrecht jokingly responded 'I don't'. Although the answer was clearly given in jest and correctly straight away, the celebrant performing the service promptly drew an end to the proceedings and called the wedding off for ten weeks!

Despite appeals from the Bride and her Groom, Dietmar Koch, to continue with the wedding, the registrar in Steyr, Austria was having none of it. The guests were duly sent home and the blushing Bride left to face the music.

'In retrospect, it was probably not that funny.' said Tina, and obviously the registrar agreed with her. And people say that German-speaking folk don't have a sense of humour!